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Indigo - The Actions of a Madman
Chapter 1 Gallius Slums 213.143M41 The Slums were dimly lit but what little light there was danced off the gray rock, casting shadows. She chided herself for being jumpy, she assumed she would get used to it in time. She was new to Gallius, she had come here to flee crushing poverty and even these truly terrible conditions were a step up from her previous home. The lowest levels of any Hive City were a dangerous place, somewhere no one lived by choice. She was being watched by a man who kept to the shadows, a knife held in his belt. For all of the physical pleasures Gallius offered there was one he savored above all others. There was only one god over all men, the Immortal Emperor but he was the god of these streets. he held the power of life and death in his hands and in his steel. His first was an accident his lover, a slum woman herself had grown jealous and confronted him about the time he spent in the company of other women. He had never stopped, each time gave him a feeling unlike anything else in the universe. He saw his moment and silently came out from the shadows, three long strides and he was behind her. It was over quickly, He clamped a hand down over her mouth to muffle her screams and a single backstab drove the breath from her lungs. Again and again, a dozen times ending with a long slash across her throat that left her in a pool of red. He vanished into the darkness, paying little attention to the screams and prayers rising up behind him and a smile formed on his face as the sweet sounds of fear washed over him. She was number twelve, the latest in a long line of truly wonderful nights divided across the artificial world’s four habitats. Next time he thought Maybe the Eastern habitat- it’s been too long since I last visited there. Only he cared about the poor citizens of Gallius, Security thought nothing of them, nor did the Arbites elsewhere in the system. They would not deny him his hunts. Gallius The Indigo Heart 215.143 Located on the upper level of the Northern Polar habitat The Indigo Heart offered large windows that always showed the stars, thundering music, rich food and fine liquor but the nightclub’s true draw was the second floor- private rooms where wealthy men indulged every physical desire with exotic women. Andreus Mellas would never have been able to afford their services if not for the fact that he was a bouncer at the club below a reserved timeslot once a week was a part of his pay and he had found his female company over the last several years more than willing. He was a fourth generation Gallius native and his middle class life was something previous generations would never have dreamed of. He could not hear the party below breaking up or the cleaning staff beginning their work. He was too wrapped up in his surroundings. Red leather furniture and silk sheets, walls made of real wood imported from Corbonis, a half empty bottle of Amasec on the bedside table but most importantly the company. He still held her running a hand through the hair trailing down her back, still savoring the feel of her bare skin against his. The night before had been fantastic as it always was, just because he knew all her tricks already did not mean he enjoyed them any less and he knew that even after all this time she still enjoyed the time they spent together. Something kept her coming back to him time and time again. Last night had simply been business as usual, neither had any real feelings for the other and both accepted that. He didn't think her beautiful, 'cute' was a better word. She was a tiny woman, only 5'2" and 110 pounds with dark hair usually held back in an long ponytail. Her round face, dark eyes with long lashes and button nose only added to that image. He was roughly eight inches taller and a hundred pounds heavier than she was, he had always been gentle with her not wanting to hurt her. “That monster in the Slums is up to twelve now and security still can't catch him...” She spoke in a calm casual voice, reaching for her robe “God Emperor is that tragic or what? Gallius is supposed to be safe." She rolled out of the bed heading off to the suite’s bathroom not waiting for a response from him. He just dressed in the previous night's clothes and headed on his way. He had better things to worry about than the fate of the poor. Worrying didn't pay his bills. Mellas stood whilst stretching his arms and then proceeded to comb his hands through his blonde hair. He gave himself a quick look in the mirror to see if there was any residual lipstick from the previous night's events. He looked as he usually did with a dead eyed stare, square jaw, and undercut hair. Deciding he had been admiring his own reflection too much he set off on his daily routine. Mellas saw the habitat waking up around him as he headed toward his modest apartment. He dropped a single coin for a newspaper at a stand nearby. Actual paper, a subtle luxury here in a world of excess but a luxury all the same. The front page caught his eye- another lurid headline, another murder 2 nights earlier. The details were the same as always. Witness reports were vague and conflicting but agreed on a few points: a mask, possibly an opera house castoff, A long coat with a turned up collar and long black gloves, fine clothing and shoes. The most important detail of all was his knife- untraceable, silent and deadly, serrated, eight inches long judging by the wounds left behind. He wasn't surprised his companion had heard this news before everyone else did. Off duty security officers liked the Indigo Heart too, even receiving a discount for the girls upstairs. In his eyes the Security officers were nothing more or less than Imperial Guard washouts, cheap mercenaries, some of the least capable fighting men ever to shame mankind. No wonder they hadn’t caught this monster. He turned to the sports section, checking the scores on a Corbonis sports league he followed. He just carried on stopping briefly for an overpriced cup of caffeine and a sweet roll on his way home. He walked into his apartment, slicing into a loaf of bread with a serrated knife to make toast before getting some sleep. He had a few errands to run tonight before work and he wanted to be well rested. ' Eastern Habitat 310.143' The Masked Man was hunting elsewhere tonight- the wealthier areas proved to be more of a challenge, they were more crowded and security patrols were much more frequent. He had a low opinion of them but even they could get lucky. He was the god of these streets, a god of death but he was still mortal, a being of flesh as vulnerable as any man. The loutish guards stumbled in the dimly lit streets and He wondered if he should claim one of their lives as well. He sat in the dark waiting for the patrolling security officers to go elsewhere while simultaneously watching his prey. She was a plump woman adorned with fine garments and jewelry. From what he could tell this was a noblewoman from Syprios as her clothes reeked of the planet's signature scent, grain and livestock. The noblewoman set off accompanied by her personal bodyguard much to his dismay. This complicates things but it is too late to find another. I will have to end this one's life too. he thought. He stalked the foreigners through the dark streets waiting for his opportunity. He heard the guard speak to the noblewoman requesting a moment of leave so he may visit the latrine. Perfect! the Killer reflected on his sudden good luck. He slid his blade out of its sheathe as he crept out from the shadows. His footsteps fell silent as he closed in on his next victim. I wonder if she'll prove more of a challenge... '' But wealthy women died just as easily as poor ones, his thirteenth victim died alone her pearls scattering from her broken necklace to bounce across the tiles. She would not be alone in death. That night would be his most productive yet, two more met the Emperor at the end of his knife. Security came no closer to finding him despite the triple murder. The people of Syprios mourned and prayed for justice but in time she and the others that night were all but forgotten as well. Chapter 2 '''Indigo Heart 344.143' Calandra Vassos moved well for a self-proclaimed “Syprios farm girl”. He watched from a dark corner, unknown without his mask and unnoticed beneath the strobing lights. He watched her dance across the floor on high heels and a very tight, very short strapless dress dared all eyes to turn to her. His did but for an entirely different reason, he watched her as a hunter watched his prey. He saw a man come up behind her, place his hands on her hips and whisper in her ear. She led him upstairs and the man in the shadows returned his gaze to the rest of the club’s patrons, just waiting for his moment. Vassos left the next morning thinking only of what do with her night off, unaware of what was coming. He crept through the streets avoiding rubbish on the ground which might have given away his position. He could hear everything as though he had been gifted with the ears of a hound, he could hear her gentle footsteps through the stale recycled air. his breathing slowed but his heart beat faster as he pulled on his mask. She was within the Killer's sight now as she slowly strolled through the many alleyways. He called out her name destroying the silence. Vassos would not see the next sunset, her lifeless body was found only 3 blocks from the Indigo Heart bearing the same knife wounds so many others had received. 345.143 "We cannot let this monster win, we mourn for Calandra but do as she would have wanted us to. We continue on. She was a joyful soul in life, we cannot be overcome by grief.” Alysha Nulaati spoke from the second floor balcony addressing her staff. Suellen Maedke stood beside her but deferred to her business partner. Andreus Mellas was there as well wearing a black band on his arm as a sign of mourning and listening intently to her every word. “We celebrate her life, we mourn her death, pray that her killer is soon brought to justice and that she finds peace." He noticed that she hadn’t mentioned The Emperor when she talked about prayer, he also noticed the edge in her voice, something angry, defiant and just a little bit sad. With her words about peace and justice still in his ears he adjusted the black band on his arm and took his place at the doors, listening to the music inside begin and the nightly party slowly coming to life. After the ocean of people jostling for entry became a trickle he headed inside watching the dance floor. He looked across the room, keeping an eye on the shadows and more than a few shady characters dotted around the room. His bosses insisted on keeping the place drug free but he didn't see anyone peddling such things, no need to ban anyone tonight. He didn't see anyone getting too grabby without paying all in all a boring night. He liked those on occasion, they gave him time to think. Tonight he thought of an old girlfriend and how his life had turned out to be so much better without her. He had all the female company he could ever want right here, He gave his usual girl a nod as she led a man upstairs, shooting him a smile on the way past and he turned his thoughts back to his job. ' Southern Habitat 011.144 M41' Tonight would be a busy for him. Tourist girls were arriving in droves from all over the system to audition for jobs across the planet and could smell their perfume from quite a distance. In his mind this made them easy to track making the hunt somewhat less sporting than usual but still fun nonetheless. He had not hunted for months, there had been too much risk and the fools around him had thought his bloodlust satisfied. Tonight would mark his triumphant return, a god of death amongst ordinary mortals unaware they had entered his world. The next morning two women were found strangled and stabbed in a way all too familiar to the security forces of the city. He woke the next morning as he did after every hunt, immensely satisfied and slightly fatigued. He donned his normal attire to hide in plain sight among the crowds as he selected more potential targets. Chapter 3 Arbites Necro Precinct House 050.144 "Alright everyone listen up. We have recently learned that the situation on Gallius still remains unresolved. As you can guess this isn't a good thing for the people of Gallius or our reputation as peacekeepers. We will be dispatching a team to find a solution to this issue." The head Arbitrator spoke. Claudius Mojaro stared down at his feet averting his attention from the orator but was still actively listening if only ever so slightly at times. Most of the words being said were typical jargon to be expecting of a pre deployment briefing but he quickly turned his gaze to the head Arbitrator as he heard his name called. "You paying attention? You better be because I'm sending you out there as the lead investigator." the chief said. He replied "Are you sure that's a smart move sir? I'm not a sufficient rank to be the commanding officer on this case." "Well that's what I'm hoping to change. If you can find this cretin and put him behind bars there will be a swift promotion headed your way." the head Arbitrator spoke. The chief went back to continuing his briefing with the rest of the Arbites whilst He pondered the idea of him being the lead officer on the case. After the briefing was over he decided he would rise to the task and set off to gather his kit, case files, and a few personal items. Northern Habitat- 052.14 A single nondescript vessel appeared in orbit over Gallius more than a month after the most recent murders were forgotten. Three Aquila Landers set off on their course and made an unannounced landing at the Northern Habitat. The manager, already surprised by the unannounced guests almost fell out of his office chair when a harsh voice buzzed over his private comm channel. "I demand to speak to the manager- by the authority of the Adeptus Arbites." The voice sounded young but it carried an immense weight in it. "And who do I have the honor of addressing?" He asked after taking a moment to calm himself. "We speak in your office. Not negotiable." The harsh voice demanded again. "Of course, I will send you an escort." He kept his tone polite but carefully neutral. "We know the way." The comm channel went silent. A few moments later He arrived. A man dressed in a rumpled suit, long battered coat, sunglasses and a hat- no doubt intending to blend in with the tourists. He pulled a badge from a pocket, showing the Manager his shoulder holster and combat knife, a gesture meant to look accidental but really a subtle threat. "Arbitrator Claudius Mojaro." He introduced himself without taking his eyes off the Manager. The "Indigo Killer" is Arbites business now. Since you clearly cannot manage you own affairs it falls to us. Get me and my men a room." Unwilling to argue with the highest law of the Imperium The Manager complied, afraid to speak against the man suddenly in his office. Three minutes later and the newly arrived Arbites had a location to work from, first class accommodations in a nearby hotel and its conference room- all free of charge. The Arbites swore the staff to complete secrecy, threatening to press charges should word of their presence spread. The threats did nothing, rumors traveled anyway. Indigo Heart- 055.144 Laera Hessman heard those rumors when they reached the Indigo Heart only three days later, the man she was with at time had received the news second and third hand, a man who knew a man who knew a dockhand. The young woman liked to talk, putting her customers at ease with a pleasant alto voice but she was not known for her discretion, what she knew all others at the Indigo Heart soon did too. Mellas heard the same stories through her when he joined her upstairs for a few hours as the night wound down. "The Arbites are investigating this- Calandra and all those poor women can rest in peace- this is almost over!" Her excitement was obvious from her rapid words and intensely cheerful tone. He reacted to the news with some annoyance and his voice took on a harsh edge his frequent companion had never heard. "You really think the Arbites care? If they did this would have been over a long time ago. No one cares about the poor." He growled through ground together teeth at a woman who didn't deserve his anger. "You need to relax Andreus. What's going on with you? Maybe I can help?" her alto voice dropped to a husky tenor. She placed her hands on his shoulders, starting to massage his tight muscles. "Arbites- Mad dogs, drunk with power. All of them." He grumbled, still in a foul mood for reasons he hadn't discussed with her. She moved her hands up to his neck, leaning in to nibble on one of his ears. She took a deep breath, readying herself for what was inevitably coming next. Normally this would have driven him crazy, given him a need only she could satisfy, but not tonight. Tonight he turned around in the chair favoring her with a look that could kill. He slapped her as hard as he could. It didn't take much to knock her to the floor, She was shocked by both the impact and his sudden out of character moment. He had always been gentle with her, she had never even heard him raise his voice before. She managed to let out a short scream, loud enough to be heard by everyone on the second floor before his hands clamped down around her throat. She struggled against him, kicking out and clawing at his hands but he was too strong, her vision went black at the corners and she tried to make her peace with The Emperor but no words came, only gasps as she struggled for air. Alysha Nulaati threw the door open and stepped in flanked by a pair of his fellow bouncers. She gave him her full attention, her normally kind brown eyes radiated anger and her voice was low, tight and cold. "Go home. Now. I knew you're a hot tempered man but I never thought you would do this. You're suspended without pay for the next 2 days. I'm also revoking your reservations from now on- You are to stay on the first floor at all times unless someone pulls some stunt like you just did." Mellas respected that she could be quite imposing when the need arose. She stood at 5'8", 5'10" in the right pair of shoes and he had once seen her stare down an armed drug dealer. The Obscura merchant had flinched first and hadn't been back. She drew up to her full height, tapping her fingers on her crossed arms, just daring him to argue with her. He knew if he did he would be fired on the spot the fact that her black clothing reminded him faintly of a judge's robe did not help matters. He just stared back for a moment before grabbing his jacket and walking out the back door hoping to avoid further humiliation. Nulaati entered the room, closing and locking the door behind her. "Laera, what happened?" The anger faded into concern for her employee, she took off her shoes to look her in the eyes a little better. "All I did was tell him the Arbites were getting involved... He got upset so I tried to calm him down..." She smoothed out her wrinkled robe, pulled a few loose strands of hair back into the braid and tried make herself slightly more presentable. Her boss gave her the time she needed and when she had heard what she needed to know she said "I'll have security take you back to your apartment. I'm not going to make you work after something like this- take a few nights off if that's what you need. I assume you want to press charges? In any case he'll never touch you or any of the girls again." "He was my last for the night anyway, I would like to go home. I don't want to press charges, I think what you did to him was enough. We all know he's an angry man but he's never hurt me. " That left Alysha Nulaati slightly suspicious. "Laera- keep your feelings in check. You cannot allow yourself to fall for him, any other customer or coworker. it's unprofessional." "I'm just being kind. that's all. There's enough anger and hatred here already about what happened to Calandra. She wouldn't want that." Hessman replied. There was nothing more to say so each of the women went about their own business. But they each had the same thought. Could he be the man that everyone is looking for? While Hessman dismissed her concerns, reasoning she would be dead already if he were, Nulaati passed the incident along to her co-owner. Indigo Heart 0.57 She was from Corbonis, a tall blonde dancing under flashing lights showing off long legs and swaying hips with a short silver dress. A man held her close, almost quivering with excitement and desire. He had reserved this time with her more than a week ago, booking her last slot for the night. He knew the man he watched was an unarmed security officer who had left his weapons at the door. She was due to leave in a couple of hours and they would likely leave together forcing him to face an armed guard. This hardly matters. Security is no threat to me. Nothing more than cheap mercenaries. Enjoy tonight, it will be your last. (fill in- kills her and the guard walking her home) Having completed his task for the night he shed his finery replacing it in one of his caches. He was nothing and no one, another face in a crowd, this crowd was leaving the opera house and his working class clothing stood out amongst their finery. That was all they would notice about him, they wouldn't bother to look at his face. He was quite enjoying his night until some drunk, a man he didn’t know crashed into him with an empty bottle in hand and smelling of whatever it contained, clearly drinking to forget. “Watch where yer goin'...” He slurred “Yu ow' me 'n apologee…” “You ran into me. You should apologize right before you go home to sober up.” He would not stoop to this man’s level. He had the far superior mind and he had proven that eluding capture for as long as he had. The other man was clearly an angry drunk, he swung the empty bottle at head height and only a hand brought up at just the right moment saved him from serious injury. The cheap glass broke, slicing into his knuckles. He deftly caught a large fragment of it on the way down and swung, opening up the man’s palm. Neither had a weapon anymore and so they started trading body blows. Neither was particularly coordinated, both were large men both more used to force than finesse. There was no winner- they both fled at the sound of booted footsteps nearing them, neither wanted to explain the situation to security. Scarlet Plaza Hotel, Northern Habitat 0.58 "There were two more last night, one was an Indigo Heart girl and the other was a security officer." Mojaro had almost fallen asleep, he had spent his night with a large stack of woefully inadequate case files and a now empty pot of caffeine. "Where?" He growled at the subordinate bringing him this new report. "Not far from the Indigo Heart." He took his boss's foul mood in stride. "Gear up. We're speaking to the owners tonight. That's 2 now, they have to know something." He reached for his now empty mug. "And get me some more caffeine." "Why tonight- why not go now?" The other officer asked. He received a tired sounding explanation. "Today, we examine the crime scene and speak to the locals. Tonight we speak to the staff in full equipment. It's time to change tactics. Fear-it can motivate a person to action but also to inaction, I hope for the latter, I hope we can keep him from killing again once he knows we're here." He stood from his seat reluctantly as he looked down at the stained mug on his temporary desk. He let out a sigh as he prepared himself for the undoubtedly macabre day ahead of him. He reached over to slip on his pistol holster and overcoat. He wiped his face and set out with his fellow officers ready to perhaps make progress in this mystery. Security Headquarters "I've seen his handiwork. Make no mistake as he isn't your average sicko but a primal beast acting out on his base urges. If you encounter him it is recommended you shoot on sight. " The Arbitrator was impressed, the Security officer giving the briefing spoke without letting the anger in his voice overwhelm his words. They came out short, clipped and precise. "We're beefing up patrols all across the habitats and are putting more security cameras up as well. We have to find this bastard before he claims any more innocent lives. Now get out there and do your jobs!" The security officer was now finished with his speech and Mojaro finished his few moments of rest before rising from his seat to personally talk with the officer. As he walked to the officer's desk he could see a face down photo and several empty bottles of fermented grains. Mojaro could quickly see why the officer was so passionate about finally capturing the Killer. "Sorry to bother you but I have some questions pertaining to the case." "Read the frakking files. I just finished explaining the details to the entire station." "Look I understand you aren't in top shape." He pointed to the downed photo and empty bottles. "But you can help me catch this guy for all the victims. Then again you could remain non compliant and face charges for obstructing the progress of an Arbiter." The security officer's posture stiffened and he cleared his throat. "Sorry sir, I'm just having a rough time coping with everything. The psycho has killed over a dozen people at this point. What questions do you have?" Indigo Heart The crowd parted for the newly arrived Arbites, falling silent with awe and fear. One brave soul started to slowly clap, the crowd joining in after a couple more seconds of silence. Mojaro kept his head down so no one would see the smile forming on his face or the pride swelling up in him. He entered an office while his men remained on guard outside. "Please sit." Suellen Maedke indicated a comfortable looking chair in front of her desk. Mojaro noted that the whole room was paneled in real wood most likely imported from Corbonis, as was the bottle on her desk. "Would you care for a drink Arbitrator, something to eat?" He politely refused and carried on with business. "Thank you for your cooperation. What can you tell me?" The Arbitrator kept his helmet on, she wouldn't see him studying her reactions. "We have lost 2 of our own to this monster- we want him found and brought to justice." Her voice was hard and cold, He noted that not reading any deception in her voice or body language and seeing a combination of anger and sadness in her blue-gray eyes. He had learned to read people well in his years stationed on Necro, their stiff formal natures had taught him to see the little things people couldn't control, the smallest of gestures could reveal whatever they were hiding. "While we maintain discretion we must also keep records." She pushed a folder across her desk. "Everything you could need, a brief personal history and records of her customers for the last several months all properly vetted but we both know how effective security is..." He noted the bitterness and frustration in her tone. "It is also worth noting: there is a man my staff is growing suspicious of. He assaulted one of them a couple nights ago and he arrived to work tonight with an injured hand. He said he got into a fight on his way home last night. We have no reason not to believe him, but the question of who he fought remains unanswered. Alysha and I believed his temper, which he kept under control, would make him a good bouncer. We would have dismissed him but the woman in question one Laera Hessman did not press charges acting on compassion we don't understand but respect. His name is Andreus Mellas, you may wish to speak to him even if this event is unrelated to this "Indigo Killer" a visit from you may keep him from further abuse. Last I saw him he was in the main room." "Thank you miss Maedke. You've been very helpful." He finished entering notes in his dataslate. "Where is Miss Hessman now?" Maedke folded a panel out of her desk revealing a pad with numbered keys and a speaker grill. "Private comm channels to each room." she explained. "In case of emergency or an unannounced request- I believe you fall in the latter category." She pressed one of those buttons sending a voice signal upstairs. "Laera- there's an Arbitrator here named Claudius Mojaro. He wishes to speak to you about what happened." "Just a moment..." The Arbitrator heard the response come from one of the speakers. (fill in) "I'm not what you were expecting am I?" She answered the door wearing nothing but a robe short enough to leave her legs mostly bare. He ignored the question, suspicious of her already. (fill in) "Miss Hessman- you did not press charges against your attacker. Why is that?" Mojaro had his dataslate out again and was already taking notes. "Laera. No need to be formal officer. I never judge anyone by their worst nights. We all have secrets we wish to keep, ones that come out the worst times. Andreus may have more than most. He has a troubled past and a foul temper but before two nights ago he had ever hurt me. As you can see I'm quite a small woman, he was afraid of crushing me the first time we were together..." Mojaro held a hand up, stopping her from telling him more than he needed or wanted to know. "So you do have some affection for the man?" he asked, thinking the answer might be relevant. Her expression didn't change. "I provide a service, that's all, we're friendly with each other but our relationship is strictly business. He and I both understand that." (fill in) "I enjoy my work officer. I enjoy the benefits. I quite like the power I have over men, especially Andreus Mellas. I'm more than enough to keep him satisfied. he worked his way through the others before he finally realized just what he was missing and he's come back to me every week since. I don't have to share him and knowing that he still enjoys my "company" after being together so often is a powerful thing. He knows me better than any other man..." She let the subtext speak for her before finishing. "I enjoy the protection he provides by his presence,his reputation is an unstated threat,no one has ever dared take advantage of me." Her pleasant alto tone never wavered even as she revealed all this. Could this information be his motive for attacking her, could he possibly feel more for her than she did for him? He filed it away for further use but another thought struck him as well Clearly a Sociopath. She may be happy we're here she's thinking about only her own safety. She may actually be concerned about the victims getting justice She might sympathize with the first victims in the wrong place and time but unlikely. There's no way she's killing these women but perhaps these last two... Could she be controlling him? Using him against her rivals? (fill in) Andreus Mellas looked down at his bandage wrapped hand. No one had asked about it or his new bruises, He had lost his temper again, getting into a fight when he went out walking the night before. He looked up to see the Arbitrator walking toward him. Mojaro noted his odd behavior, nervous glances around the room as if searching for a quick exit and quick looks at his injured hand. He was clearly guilty of something, that was not how an innocent man acted... but had he committed any other crimes besides attacking Laera Hessman 2 nights before? Mellas saw the Arbirator closing in on him, leaving him with few options. He had gotten in a fight, no doubt they would want to speak to him about that. It was one of many things in his past that could ruin him if they ever came to light and speaking to an Arbites would ensure that they did. He weighed his choices- which would he rather give up? a job or his life? Work was easy to find, he might have to leave Gallius but there were other places where he could run. Syprios- work as a farm hand? Corbonis-construction? He knew he needed to decide that later. He just ran, knocking aside patrons and accidentally catching his injured hand on the edge of a table. The Arbitrator was a split second behind him and a split second too late to speak to him but he didn't need to now. He looked down at the table edge, seeing several drops of fresh blood. He snatched up a napkin, collecting a DNA sample. He waved one of his men over "Get this looked at as soon as possible. I think we've got our first suspect. " He would run down the other names himself. Chapter 4 0.60 Palace Resort, Northern Habitat Andreus Mellas thought about the name of his hotel with some bitterness. A palace maybe but only for the rats scrabbling behind the too thin walls. He looked around the room, frustrated with the circumstances and disgusted by what he had come to. The room was little more than four walls and a hard bed. But it was anonymous, he had secrets that would come to light if the Arbites dug into his past- he couldn't allow that. No one here cared about him or his secrets so long as he could pay his bills. He had no problem with that, he had paid for three weeks up front long enough for him to use the last of his savings and flee to elsewhere in the Nerio System. The more he thought about it the more he realized he wouldn't miss anyone he would be leaving behind except maybe Laera Hessman, but he could find another woman easily enough. Golden House Apartments, Northern Habitat Space was at a premium on Gallius, forcing everyone to live in hotel rooms or apartments. The same was true of Laera Hessman whose small but lavish apartment was on the third floor of a very exclusive building reserved for the wealthy. He had tasked local security with interviewing the latest victim's most recent customers. They're capable of that at least. he thought with some bitterness. A search of her home and interviews with the most likely culprits had given them nothing. Now that Hessman was a suspect he had his own men searching her home, looking for anything that might point to her as an accomplice. They found nothing, making their visit to the Indigo Heart useless. She kept the place more clean and orderly than Mojaro liked but there was nothing criminal about that, nor the keepsakes she kept in plain view. He had his men return to the place to its original state. She was a sociopath but not a criminal so there was no need to treat her like one, she would never even know they were there. He looked out one of the large windows at the sea of neon lights. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes to combat the migraine he knew was coming. He kept them closed when he received a report, a man had visited a clinic two nights earlier and had the medicae on call close up a deep cut in one of his hands. He filed a report with security about a fight, the man he described matched Andreus Mellas. The pieces began to come together in his mind, So this is the other man... '' He resolved to speak to the victim himself. (speak to other guy who got in the fight when a report comes in, got into a fight messed up his hand still unclear killer or victim becomes a suspect- gets a DNA sample from him too.) (we need at least one scene of a cache) '''Scarlet Plaza Hotel' "I told you checking out the Indigo Heart wasn't a fruitless venture." One officer said chuckling. "You were only half right about that. If I hadn't been so attentive of the fleeing suspect you would've completely missed him." Mojaro replied. There was a trade off of laughter as the whole room made malformed jokes to pass the time before the results came back. The Arbitrator nearly fell into a well deserved sleep before the results were brought to his desk. He rose up to position himself to thoroughly study the information before him. He cracked open the folder that contained the test results. The injured man's DNA was not in their criminal files, nor was Mellas. All of that for nothing... However if one of them was he had something to compare any future samples against. That was something, not much but something. Northern Habitat 0.62 It seemed an eon since he last treated himself. Tonight for the first time in a long time he would resume his campaign of murders. Indecisive he glided through the alleyways passing fellow citizens only drawing attention to himself when someone was weary of his mask. Most would simply turn away as the mask were common all across the planet but one woman gave him a sustaining gaze. What is drawing her attention? he thought suspecting something on his person was giving away his covertness. He looked down and something caught his attention. In a puddle of water in the dented rock-crete he could see himself. A particular glint of light revealed itself and he was aware of what it was. His blade had become slightly unsheathed and its highly polished fuller was like a neon sign in his long coat. He looked back up at the wide eyed woman who was undoubtedly aware of who he was. Their eyes locked and the woman opened her mouth only milliseconds away from forming a cry for assistance before the Killer lunged on her. He clamped her mouth shut with his hand silencing the pleas for mercy swiftly with a quick swipe of his blade. He got up from the now lifeless woman drenched in dark crimson. Chapter 5 Gallius Alleyway - 70.144 ' It had been a thrilling night for the Killer. He could now tally another soul to his gruesome collection. He stalked ever so quietly behind his prey. She was carrying the scent of a candy shop. The Killer could hardly contain himself as he thought of what was to come. Impatient he ran out from the shadows as she turned the corner. He lunged forth from the corner with a loud thunk as his heavy boots hit the ground. The prey swiveled around with a shriek. The blade slid forth from the interior of the Killer's jacket. Something new happened this time however. The Killer in his disregard for the typical stealthy approach forgot all about the guards in the area. One now stood before the Killer as the lucky girl ran off screaming at the top of her lungs for further assistance. The Butcher and the guard that would deny him his deserved kill locked eyes. They both shifted to fighting stances observing one another. The guard reached for his side to a series of empty holsters. The Killer grinned underneath his mask. The foolish guard left his weapons behind he thought. The Butcher drew near with blade in hand to collect at least one kill for the night. The Guard got in a lucky shot, slamming an open hand into the mask and forcing it back into his face. He didn't even feel it, he was running on adrenaline. The Guard snarled at him "I grew up in the hills. My brother is in the Ruffians. ''I know how to fight..." "Bold words for a dead man..." He snarled back, the self proclaimed god of death was not about to let this challenge pass. The Guard surprised him, this man wasn't just bluster. The much smaller man was faster and used his speed well, letting his armor take any knife strikes he couldn't dodge. Not even the knife cut that tore through his fatigues and left his midsection bleeding slowed him down all that much. The Guard ground his teeth together and kept going. The strike aimed at the underarm gap was off enough for him to move one last time, taking the blade on the edge of his shoulder plate. The knife snapped and both men froze. One blink later and the Killer's mask was gone, ripped off his face. It forced him to pull his collar up, turn away and run. The now exhausted guard sat down where he was and called for a medic, still cradling his new prize and trying to remember the details aloud. "Short blonde hair- not quite two meters tall..." 'Security Headquarters Infirmary - 71.144 ' Claudius walked into the recently injured guard's room. The guard was severely injured. The arbiter picked up the patient chart to inspect his injuries. Multiple light lacerations, two deep stab wounds, broken bones, and two missing teeth. "Mercy! How is he still alive?!" Claudius said aloud softly. "Quite the achievement eh?" the injured guard said with a slight chuckle. "Certainly. you'll have quite the story to tell at the pub some day. I'm sorry for waking you but I have some questions for you about the suspect." the arbiter replied.' '''Indigo Heart- 073.144' (showdown- final 4 die 2 in the IH, 2 before, crowd jumps in after he's down- almost killed until Mojaro pulls him out- per chat conversation- Raedkin is there to help. ) Kri-os East Ridge Prison 079.144 (Mojaro- talks to killer he reveals his motives and simply walks away when they're done. Fill in) "I can leave here... Think about this during the endless days you have coming. 'Was all this worth it'"?" Mojaro walked away, his heavy footfalls echoing off the steel grate floor. There was nothing more final than the sound of an iron door closing. Even if said iron door was only the infirmary and not to the mines where he would work the rest of his life. "You are Prisoner ER 118769, you gave up your identity as soon as you entered the Citadel. You are nothing, no one. You are here to serve out the remainder of your life atoning for your sins against humanity and The God-Emperor through hard labor. May He have mercy on your soul. We will not." The warden's voice still rang in his ears as he stared up at the gray rockcrete ceiling. He could hardly walk but eight weeks from now that would change. His injuries would heal and from there he would die slowly. Staring out the window, looking at the vast expanse of ugly gray-brown rock he felt true despair for the first time in his life. His name would be forgotten, replaced by one of two words, based on who told his story. "Butcher" to the men who would gather around him and to others who wished him forgotten- he became "Indigo". Category:Nerio System Category:Stories